


In Which Rose Knew All Along

by Halunygin



Series: Pride Anthology [8]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Gay, Humor, M/M, Next Generation, Rose is conniving, Scorbus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-31
Updated: 2017-08-31
Packaged: 2019-04-18 20:32:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14221239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Halunygin/pseuds/Halunygin
Summary: Albus is in love with Scorpius, Scorpius is dating a girl but he also loves Albus.  Albus and Scorpius are not talking to each other, and Rose has to make things right, as usual.





	In Which Rose Knew All Along

"You're staring at them again."

Albus turned away from the couple and to his cousin, who had her nose in her latest novel. "Hypothetically, even if I was, how'd you know?"

"Because it's all you ever do," Rose replied, reaching into her bag for an apple without taking her eyes off the page. "Can't even hang out at Hogsmeade without you being a wet blanket.

"I can't help it, why's he dating such a-" Albus struggled to find the right word.

"Annoying airhead?"

"Aren't you friends with Jacqueline?" Albus asked, aghast.

Rose looked up from her book and nodded. "Yeah, and because I know her, I can say with total certainty that she  _is_  empty-headed and annoying." She took another bit of her apple. "Good thing she's also pretty."

Albus took a sip of his butterbeer and scowled. "I just wish I could do something to make myself feel less lousy."

"Have you considered just telling him?" Rose asked, ever the voice of sound reason.

Albus snorted mirthlessly. "Oh yeah, that'd go well. 'Hey, Scorp, I know you're straight and have a girlfriend, but I just wanted to let you know I, your gay as fuck friend, fancy the pants off you'. He'd kill me."

"No he wouldn't," Rose said tenderly, putting her book down and grabbing his hand, giving him her full attention. "He's your best friend, and he'd want you to be honest with him."

Albus smiled weakly at his cousin. "He hasn't spoken to me in a month, I don't know if we're really  _best_  friends anymore."

He looked back at the couple, who were kissing and giggling, at least on Jacqueline's part. His stomach lurched. "I'm going back up to the castle, I'll see you later."

"Wait, I'll come with-" Rose started, closing her book and putting back in her bag.

"Rose, I'm this close to crying, and I know you don't want to deal with that," Albus said softly, standing up and hoisting his bag over his shoulder. Before Rose could argue further, he left the Three Broomsticks.

The redhead rolled her eyes at the charms textbook her cousin had forgotten in his haste, and tucked it into her bag, as well as pulling her novel back out. Not a minute later, she was interrupted once more.

"Rosie! Hey!"

_Ugh._  Rose plastered a smile onto her face as she looked up at Jacqueline and Scorpius.

"Hey, lovebirds, how goes things?"

Jacqueline beamed and hugged Scorpius from the side. "Oh, just the best. You know, Scorpi and I are coming up on our one month anniversary."

Scorpius's smile at her words seemed forced, and Rose raised an eyebrow shrewdly at that and the nickname, but wisely said nothing.

The blond coughed and asked, "Where'd Al go?"

Rose repressed a smirk at that, waved a hand. "Last minute essay for potions. You know how he is."

Now Scorpius raised an eyebrow, because he  _did_  know how Albus was, and he never left potions homework last minute. Even if he did, they didn't have an essay due in there. Rose knew that, and knew that he, Scorpius, knew that as well.

"Hey, Jackie, I think I left my tie in Honeydukes, can you go check for me?" he asked. Jacqueline nodded and almost skipped out the door, but not before planting a wet kiss on Scorpius's pale cheek. Rose noted the subtle wince that escaped the blond at that.

"Okay, now tell me why Al really left."

Rose crossed her arms and smirked. "I'd rather talk about you and your girlfriend,  _Scorpi_."

"Shut up," Scorpius growled, sitting down and throwing a napkin at her. "Couples shorten each other names."

"To be cute, not disgusting," Rose countered. "You really don't want to puke when she calls you that?"

Scorpius sighed and after a long pause, said, without answering the question, "She means well. Now, about Al-"

"Why the sudden fixation on my cousin?" Rose asked, cocking her head.

"It's not a fixation, you didn't answer my-"

Rose interrupted him once more. "Do you really, honestly like Jacqueline?"

Scorpius opened his mouth to insist that of course he did. He then promptly closed it, sighing.

"It's complicated."

_Ah, so we're doing this the hard way_. Well, if Scorpius wanted Rose to drag the truth out of him, she could oblige.

"Try me."

Rose noted that Scorpius looked unwilling to talk, and yet on the verge of spilling his guts. He hadn't had his best friend to confide in, she figured, so he had been bottled up for a while.

"Jacqueline's great, she's really sweet, and she absolutely adores me."

"Of course, many girls do. Myself not included of course, on account I'm painfully aware of how much of a berk you are."

It was a gentle rib, but Scorpius was clearly in a turmoil, and scowled.

"I don't  _have_  to tell you anything, you know."

Rose quirked an eyebrow. "I suppose that, considering I already know for the most part, you don't. But pray tell, who else do you have to spill your guts to? Not Albus, of course, for obvious reasons."

She wanted to laugh at the simultaneous blush and pale Scorpius exhibited at her words. Her mother was right, it was fun to strike fear in the hearts of your male companions. However, she was a good friend, so she kept a straight face and grabbed his hand.

"Okay, Jacqueline is great, so what's the problem?"

Scorpius sighed. "I like someone else. And I'm using her because I can't date this person."

"And how do you know you can't date this person? Are they already in a relationship? Are they not interested in the male species?" Rose asked patiently.

Scorpius shook his head. "They're a close friend, I just don't want to ruin things for what just might be a short term fancy."

Rose nodded, patting the blond's pale hand. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Albus entering the Three Broomsticks.  _He must have realized he forgot his book._ Rose thought she could totally make this work.

"Can we not skirt around?" she said to Scorpius, who was facing opposite the door, and therefore had no idea Albus was approaching. "We both know who you're talking about, so you might feel better if you said it out loud."

Scorpius sighed. "I fancy Albus." Cue a soft gasp on Albus's part, and Rose surreptitiously putting a finger to her lips. "I don't feel better, Rose. It doesn't change the fact that he doesn't feel the same way, we might not even be friends anymore because I've been avoiding him like the plague, and I'm an awful person who's led a sweet girl on because that's what you do when you're the worst!"

Rose nodded pensively like a therapist would. "You seem very emotionally charged. Is it a bad time to mention that Al is standing behind you and heard all that?"

Scorpius turned so fast in his chair, Rose briefly worried that he had injured his neck. He stood up and stared at Albus, his eyes wide and hands in tight trembling fists. "Al! um, see-"

Albus was sporting a soft smile. "You meant that?"

Scorpius bit his lip. "Yeah, but I totally understand if you don't-"

"I do, actually," he interrupted with a smirk. "Very much so."

This seemed to throw Scorpius off even more, and his hand, which was holding him steady against the table, slipped. Albus steadied him, trying not to laugh.

Rose felt it was necessary to intervene once more. "Look, your girlfriend just came back, so go let her down gently and then you and Al can have gay moments galore."

Albus snorted at that, and Scorpius nodded vacantly, as if just remembering he had a girlfriend. He solemnly drifted off. Albus sat down in the vacant seat and shook his head.

"You knew all along, didn't you?"

"I haven't the foggiest clue what you're on about," Rose deadpanned. Albus grinned and leaned forward to kiss her cheek smackingly.

"Thank you, Rose, you're the best, really," he said warmly, getting up and going to join Scorpius.

Rose watched them leave with a sense of accomplishment surging through her. Packing up her things, she realized Albus never took his textbook back.  _Ah well, it's not like he was going to get any studying done today anyway._


End file.
